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Evening Service in G minor, Z231

Introduction

For an evening service which has long been a regular stalwart on the service papers of churches and cathedrals, it is worth noting that no contemporary manuscript of Purcell’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G minor survives. The edition most widely used today is one made by Vincent Novello, said to have been based on a manuscript in York Minster which was destroyed in a fire in 1829. This was probably similar to an early eighteenth-century manuscript in York Minster Library which does still exist. A corroborative bass partbook dating from 1711-1718 containing the service is found in Durham Cathedral library.

‘Purcell in G minor’ is a delightful setting which mixes, as does the more weighty B flat Service, four-part choruses and six-part verses, these latter sections always alternating the upper three voices with the lower adult trio. At the end of the Nunc Dimittis Purcell clearly intended the Gloria to the Magnificat to be repeated, as had been the custom in ‘everyday’ settings of the canticles for a hundred years. However, generations of church musicians have sung a splendidly extended (but hopelessly anachronistic) Gloria which the York manuscript states was written by Thomas Roseingrave (1688-1766), more than doubling the length of Purcell’s Nunc Dimittis. We ignore Roseingrave and follow the composer’s intentions by repeating his simple, nineteen-bar Gloria.

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Details

My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his hand-maiden. For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel: as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Here is Henry Purcell’s setting in G minor of the Evening canticles, Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, Z231. Given that Purcell held a church appointment for eighteen years of his life, he wrote surprisingly little service music and preferred to concentrate on anthems. It is known that the performing pitch of English church music of this period was higher than today’s, which is why it is often sung at a higher pitch than the notation prescribes (in this case, A minor is the performing pitch). The setting includes significant sections for soloists (or ‘verses’). In the Magnificat, set in a dancing triple metre, there are two contrasting solo groups of three voices, one low (alto, tenor and bass), the other high (two trebles and alto). The same groupings appear in the Nunc dimittis. The Gloria (‘compos’d by Mr. Rosengrave junior’) breaks the mould and begins in a more severe duple time, returning to a jollier triple time for the final section, in which a solo bass voice alternates with the choir. Although the setting is brief it has all the hallmarks of its composer’s renowned flair for imaginative word-setting and responsiveness to text.

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my saviour, for he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; for he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. He rememb’ring his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation; Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Here is Henry Purcell’s setting in G minor of the Evening canticles, Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, Z231. Given that Purcell held a church appointment for eighteen years of his life, he wrote surprisingly little service music and preferred to concentrate on anthems. It is known that the performing pitch of English church music of this period was higher than today’s, which is why it is often sung at a higher pitch than the notation prescribes (in this case, A minor is the performing pitch). The setting includes significant sections for soloists (or ‘verses’). In the Magnificat, set in a dancing triple metre, there are two contrasting solo groups of three voices, one low (alto, tenor and bass), the other high (two trebles and alto). The same groupings appear in the Nunc dimittis. The Gloria (‘compos’d by Mr. Rosengrave junior’) breaks the mould and begins in a more severe duple time, returning to a jollier triple time for the final section, in which a solo bass voice alternates with the choir. Although the setting is brief it has all the hallmarks of its composer’s renowned flair for imaginative word-setting and responsiveness to text.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes hath seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. To be a light to lighten the gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.